Passion of the Firey Redheads
by PureRoyalNative
Summary: Claire has never forgotten about what Wesker said to her back on Rockfort Island. Steve is alive. Sure it is only because Wesker wanted to harvest the T-Virus inside him but she can't help but feel that he was not just tossed away after the fact. So she has been searching, and the time has come for the two of them to once again meet. Rated M for sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Writers Note: I have been wanting to write a ClaireXSteve story for a long time but only recently was I able to come up with something fitting. As always I am happy to receive suggestions, feedback, and comments. I hope you enjoy!

(Umbrella Secret Base, Texas, March 12th, 2000)

As I run through the halls, I can feel my legs beginning to spasm from the strain. But I will not stop. I have worked too hard to give up now. Wesker told me he is here somewhere, and if I know that bastard even a tenth as much as I think I do, then he wasn't lying. He doesn't need to. Filling me with hope in completing what he thinks to be an impossible or possibly pointless task is just what he wants. He wants me to feel like I have a chance. That _we_ have a chance. Even if it is only to see him one last time. To hold him in my arms. To tell him how much he means to me.

"Steve. I will find you. Please just hold on a little while longer."

Hallway after hallway. Room after room. Even with all the red lights flashing and the sirens warning me that there are only moments before the entire building will become nothing more than a pile of rubble. All I can think, all I can envision, is Albert's last words to me.

"Yes, it is true Ms. Redfield. Mr. Burnside is indeed under our very feet. But I assure you that even if you were to get to him on time, the T-Veronica virus has already encompassed his body. It is a part of him now, which means no hope for a cure or your happy fairy-tail ending. Now goodbye my dear. I look forward to the next time we meet."

That coward. I totally had him cornered up on the roof, but of course he took the first chance he got to hop into his helicopter and fly away. Just as he always does. Just as he'll always do. Fucking bastard always talks like he is so tough. Then why is he so afraid to face one, defenseless woman? It's because he likes to toy with me. Make me his puppet. I know this and yet here I am letting him do it to me once again. But this isn't just about me. I have to save Steve. He deserves better than any of this. He saved my life for a second time and now it is my turn to save his.

A large metal door greets me at the end of the long, winding, hall. The words 'Genetics Lab' appears in bright, white, lettering above the door. I have found it. Once inside, I can't allow myself to succumb to the horrors that surely lie within. Taboo experimentation, catastrophic B.O.W.s, mutated plants, genetic monsters to the like even I have never witnessed. After all, this base was under the watch of Wesker himself. Who knows what that mad man had them doing here. Who knows what he had his team doing to Steve. Still I have to know. I have to save him. Even if that means killing him.

I use the lab key card to gain access past the door and step into the large, brightly lit, room. There are no flashing red lights or a loud, ear piercing, siren. Only the sound of bubbles, flowing from tubs, that lead into the large cylinder tanks that line each side of the room. I just know Steve has to be inside one of them. One by one I check them as I step quickly through the room. Just as I predicted there are all manner of animal, plant, and even what looks to be micro biological subjects that have been enlarged and ripped right out of some science fiction novel. No doubt the result of the Veronica virus being placed into various subjects. It's disgusting.

"Just close your heart to it Claire. You're only here for one thing. The rest of the world can wait one more day."

As I reach the end of the hall I realize there are only a few tanks left. I begin to lose hope. Steve isn't here. Wesker, he was lying after all. But that is when I see it. That auburn red hair I have been searching for. I step up closer to it, and through the tank's green, tinted, water is the silhouette of a young, emaciated, male. He is fully naked. Only a breathing tube covers his face. His long, grown out, hair gently floats at his shoulders where his hands are daintily crossed. On his left shoulder there is still the mark of his transformation. Dark, scaly, skin that travels up his neck. I can't see how far it goes because of that damn tube. Did it spread since the last time I saw him? Is that what his whole face looks like under that mask? I can't bare to think it. I want to see him smile again. The way he did back when he declared his love for me.

"I finally made it, Steve," I assure him.

I place my hand on the glass, praying that he can sense my presence and will wake up. But not a single part of him stirs. His eyes remain closed as if he is sleeping, but I know better than to believe that. I want so badly to see his baby blues stare into me. Who knows how many sedatives he has running through his system. I need to get him out. Should I just break the glass? There is no way. It is over an inch thick, plus the water fills the tank to its brim. There has to be a way to open it.

I look to the monitor set up on the right of the tank. Waking up the screen from the Umbrella logo, it presents me his info as well as status. Steve Burnside, caucasian male, age nineteen, five feet eight inches tall, one hundred and twenty eight pounds. Unconscious. I take solace in the fact that at least he is not in pain. My fingers glide through the options. I try not to panic knowing there can only be a few minutes left. History, biology, experimentation. Though I would love to read all of it, I have to just let it pass. Suddenly I see it. An option reading 'Pod Access.' With my hand shaking, I place my index finger over it and immediately the water begins to drain from the tank. Steve's hair gently falls to his back and his arms slowly drop to his sides. I realize I didn't think things all the way through. Being unconscious, he will not be able to stand up on his own two feet. As soon as the pod opens I will have to be ready to catch him.

The last of the water drains out and the seal gives way. I can feel a rush of air pull into the tank. Even though I tried to prepare myself, I am still no match for his dead weight falling towards me. I try to grab him by the arms but he just stumbles to the side and sends me chest first towards the floor. I land on top of him. His chest impacts with mine and knocks the wind out of me. I struggle to regain my breath quickly and sit myself up. He isn't breathing. I pull the tube from his lips and it makes a weird suction noise as his nose and throat mucus create a seal around is face. As I continue to slowly pull the tube to free him from it, the mucus gives way and dribbles out onto the floor. For what feels like minutes I tug at it. Inch by inch it becomes easier to remove. Finally the end slips from his mouth. The tube had to be around two feet long. Most likely a direct feeding tube to his stomach.

He still doesn't rouse. It looks as if someone recently trimmed his facial hair making it possible for me to make out his features. I am happy to find that his face hasn't been taken over by the scaled skin but there is a small patch on the mound of his left cheek. I run my fingertips over it. It feels even more grouse than it looks. Like the skin of a snake, only with little hairs sticking through it. He still isn't breathing. The alarm system warns that only five minutes remain. We have to get out of the building, but what can I do? He is too heavy for me to just carry out. I rub my fingers over his face and neck.

"Steve! Steve come on! I need you to wake up! Please, wake up!"

His eyes flutter while still closed but I can tell he is fighting to follow my voice.

"That's it! Come on! It's me! I'm here!"

His eyelids open slightly. He struggles to see. It's most likely been a long time since he last opened them. He looks around the ceiling then his eyes lock onto mine. I expected him to smile just from seeing me but instead he gives me a saddened expression.

His voice is so weak and still garbled by the mucus. I can barely make out the words, "Claire? What are you still doing here? You must... find a way out of this... frozen prison."

His words confuse me. "Frozen prison? You mean the arctic? But Steve, we're not in Antarctica anymore-"

Before I can finish my sentence his eyes close once again and he falls back unconscious. I can't help myself from shedding a tear. All this time he must have been asleep. He has no idea how long he has been gone or that he has been part of Wesker's experiments. I suppose that's probably for the better. The alarm warns again. Only four minutes left.

I scan the room with my eyes for any way to move him. On the far end, I see a stretcher propped up against the wall. I rush over to it and set its tires down on the floor. Even with a way to wheel him out, I would have to get him onto the thing. I look for a lever and am overjoyed to find that it has a height adjustment. I hurry back to Steve's side and lower the stretcher to the floor. It still rests about six inches from the floor so I have to lift him up onto it. I start with taking him underneath the arms and lifting his upper body onto it. It isn't easy. Not only is he heavy, he is covered in a thin layer of slime that makes it almost impossible for me to get my grip not to slip all over. Once I am certain that he isn't going to just slide back off, I switch my attention to his legs. At first I try to just lift him by the ankles and slide him over, but his butt wont raise up high enough for me to do so. The alarm sounds again. Three minutes left.

"Holy fuck! There isn't going to be enough time!"

Sucking in my pride I shove my left arm under his waistline and my right arm under his butt and lift. His cock is now directly in front of my face. Only about a half an inch closer and it will be the first time I have ever felt a man's penis against my skin. All through my teen years I never envisioned things happening like this. With one more swift shift of my legs and back, I am able to get him on the stretcher. Knowing there is no time to spare, I bring the stretcher back up off the floor and quickly wheel him towards the door. As we make it to the end of the hall I discover a cleaning cart and grab one of the white sheets folded on top of it. Still moving, I manage to unfold the sheet and drape it over Steve's body. The alarm sounds again. Two minutes remaining.

"Shit! What am I gonna do? What can I do?"

I notice a large glass window down the hall to my right. Remembering the building's layout, there should be a small drop off just on the other side. It's our only shot. I grab my walkie talkie and bring it up to my lips.

"This is Claire Redfield calling chopper one. Chopper one can you hear me?"

A male voice answers on the other side. "This is chopper one. What is your location? Over."

"I'm at the second floor's north hall. I need a pick up on top of the east building roof. Do you copy?"

"You want us to what?"

"Look, I don't have time to argue! Can you bring the chopper up to the east rooftop or not?"  
"I suppose we can try. How are you going to get there? There are no doors to that rooftop."

"I got a plan. It's crazy, but it's our best shot."

"Please be careful Claire! Don't do anything rash! We have a rescue team standing by."

"Good, cause we are going to need them. Over and out."

The pilot continues to try to talk me out of it but I ignore his pleads. We were going home, tonight. I lean down a give Steve a kiss on the mouth. It is very wet and not in the way I wanted it but it would have to do.

"I love you," I whisper to him. "Just hold on."

At full force I run straight for the window. I only pray that the metal bar on the end of the stretcher will be tough enough to break through instead of sending us careening backward. I scream at the top of my lungs. My chest feeling like it is about to burst from adrenaline. The stretcher connects with the glass. It shatters and I find myself falling forward as the stretcher falls from the edge of the building to the one a storey below us. Even in my panicked state, I try to keep Steve moving in a forward motion and thankfully he lands on the roof below still upright. It doesn't remain that way however. As I land hard on my left shoulder, I see him drift to the side, fall from the stretcher, and roll onto the rooftop. With his body limp, it looks so much more painful than I imagined it would.

"Steve!" I shout with my arm outreached to him. With the chopper no where in site, I feel helpless. "Someone help him!" I shout again.

Just then the chopper finds its way to us. It lands on the rooftop and a group of people in hazmat suits jump out to gather us both quickly. It takes three of them to pick Steve up off the ground a place him into the chopper. The fourth person tries to lift me up into their arms but once on my feet I rush myself to Steve's side. We all hop back inside and the pilot lifts off. As we fly away, I look back to the Umbrella base and watch as it crumbles into the earth. Once satisfied that it is really destroyed, I look back to Steve. The B.S.A.A. medical team is quick to get him strapped to an I.V. and oxygen mask. He opens his eyes slightly and I give him a teary smile.

"You're going to be okay now."


	2. Chapter 2

(B.S.A.A. Medical Facility, Texas, March 15th, 2000)

Being stuck in this small hospital room under quarantine might just be one of the worst things I have ever experienced. Sure there are accommodations such as a television, phone, and even internet. But just the idea that Steve is right in the next room, recovering from his surgeries, and I can't so much as visit him, tears me up inside. I need to know he is going to be okay. I need to hear his voice, touch his skin, anything to be closer to him.

It has only been a few days and I feel like I am already going mad. They have stripped me of all my personal belongings. Even my clothes. I am not allowed to even wear a bra. All I have is this white tank top, white stretch pants, and some underwear that barley fits me.

The council has told me that because I have been in physical contact with someone who is infected, I will have to endure four weeks of isolation to ensure that I have not contracted the T-Veronica virus. It's not that I blame them for being cautious, I only wish I didn't have to do this alone. If only Steve and I could stay together. But then again I know that is not the best solution. They have to be sure he can't spread the virus to others before his quarantine period can even begin. Who knows how long that will take? If the virus has become a part of him then maybe there isn't anything that can be done. God, even though he is so close I still feel like he is so far away. That kiss I gave him might be the only one we get to share... ever, and I'm sure he wasn't even awake to know it happened.

I set my face into my hands and begin to cry uncontrollably. My heart feels heavy. It is throbbing so hard I can feel it in my throat. I just want to scream at the top of my lungs, but that wont get me anywhere. No sense in worrying the doctors who are monitoring me. It might give them cause to keep me here even longer than I already have to. Fuck! This is going to be the longest month of my life.

(March 21st, 2000)

The week has been long. I have barley slept. All I can think about is wanting to hold Steve in my arms. I have tried very hard to distract myself. Watching TV, reading stories online, I have even tried meditation. None of it is doing any good. I miss him too damn much. Even though I had lost him for two years, that pain seems like nothing compared to this. I feel useless. At least before it was as if I was doing something, anything I could to help him. Now I am just sitting here. I hate it. I can't take it anymore. I look up at the camera that stares down at me from the ceiling. I know someone is watching.

"Please, I need to see him," I beg. "Even if it is only for a minute." I can not contain my sorrow and my voice becomes tight. "Please. I need to know he is okay."

A voice speaks over the intercom, "I'll see what I can do."

My heart flutters with hope. "Thank you."

A few hours have passed and I still have not heard anything. No status on Steve's condition, no doctor visit, nothing. Eventually I hear the intercom turn on and I wait impatiently for a response.

"Claire," the voice calls to me.

"Yes?" I am eager to hear what the man has to say.

"So about Mr. Burnside. He is still not able to keep himself from falling into unconsciousness. We have tried speaking to him but he appears to be too weak to do much of anything. His vitals are stable however. It's just that even if we could find a way for you to see him, he wouldn't be able to talk to you."

"Can I at least visit him? I just want to see for myself that he's alive."

The man sighs, "I understand Claire, but unfortunately we still think it would be too much of a risk to let you near him. We have however come up with a way for you to see him, just not in person. We have set up a video feed from the laptop in his room that can stream into yours. If you just open it up and click on the folder with his name, you'll be able to watch him."

Unable to contain my excitement, I hurry over to my laptop and turn it on as quickly as possible. I find it hard to control my fingers fully as I type away at the keyboard to find the file. I find it. It reads Steve Burnside. I click on it and right away a live feed pops up on my screen. It's him. Resting on his back with tubes and wires sticking out from his face and chest. For a moment it makes my stomach sink. It brings me back to that horrible moment when I first saw him inside that water tank. The feeling quickly fades however when I notice that his skin is much more pink than it was when I found him. He is no longer covered in slime and I can see the full redness of his hair. He's so handsome it makes my heart ache just looking at him.

"He's okay," I cry while wiping the tears away with my arm.

"We still don't know the full extent of his condition. As of right now, he doesn't appear to be a threat. The virus has changed his outward appearance permanently but we have not found any anomalies regarding his interiors. It would appear that whatever power the Veronica virus did give him are now dormant."

"What about the rest of his condition? What has Wekser been doing to him all this time?"

"So far we have made no discoveries on that. If Wesker was experimenting on him it would seem everything he tried failed. There are no traces of any other viruses currently in his body."

I exhale a long breath. "That's good to know. Will you please keep me informed on any changes?"

"Of course Claire. Now, try to get some rest. We all want to see you at your best again as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

For the rest of the night I keep my eyes locked on the video. Seeing his chest slowly rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern helps to calm me somehow. It still burns me up that I want to be able to touch him, but at least this way I'll be able to see for myself how he is improving. I only hope he wakes up soon so that I can see those magnificent eyes once again.

I wake to the sound of shuffling. Opening my eyes I am greeted by the video feed. A member of the medical team is fiddling with Steve's laptop. He is covered head to toe in a protective suit but I can still make out a smile on the man's face.

"Claire, can you hear me?" He asks.

I rub my eyes trying to force myself to wake up faster. "Yeah. I can hear you. What is it?"

"I thought you would be excited to know that a certain someone is awake."

The man pans the laptop camera towards the stretcher to reveal that Steve is resting upright in his bed. His eyes are tired, but he has a big smile across his face. My heart leaps up to my throat and I find myself unable to breathe.

"Hello Claire," he says happily.

I cover my face with my hands still unable to catch my breath. "Oh my god. Steve?"

He nodes his head. I am unable to hold back my tears. They soak my face faster than I can wipe them away. My whole body feels so relieved to know he is finally awake.

"The doctor told me you've been worried sick about me. I'm sorry to have put you through all that." His voice is a bit deeper than I remember. No doubt a side effect from when he transformed.

I shake my head. "No, no, no. I-It's fine. It's not your fault." I lose my breathe again and have to give myself a moment to catch it. "Steve, I've missed you so much. It's been so long."

He becomes confused. "How long was I out?"

"You weren't just out. You were taken, by Wesker."

"Wesker? What would he want with me?"

"The T-Veronica virus." My voice fills with anger just thinking about how much I want that man to suffer. To pay for everything he has done. "He took what he could from you then left you in a kind of stasis because he knew I would come looking for you."

"So then, how long?"

My lips tremble trying to say the words, "Two years."

"Two years?" Steve looks down at himself then looks to the hair sitting on his shoulder. He runs his fingers through it, as if contemplating reality. "How did he keep me asleep for two years?"

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter. You're going to be okay now. You're safe."

His eyes become soft as if he is about to break down. "I need you to tell me this in person. I need to see you."

"We can't Steve. The doctors are still not sure if your contagious or not."

"Contagious?"

He looks down at his hands then to the scaly skin on his arm. He runs his fingers over it as if he is trying to wipe it away.

"Please listen to me. Just do what the doctors ask you to. You can trust them. The members of the B.S.A.A want only what is good for society. As long as you don't do anything to lose their trust they will do everything they can to help you."

"Help me? You mean they can't just give me some kind of treatment?"

"There is no way to sugar coat it. The virus is a part of your DNA now. There is no curing it. But with proper medical help, you still may be able to have a normal life. Please promise me you will do whatever they ask and not try anything that might jeopardize their trust. The better you do that, the sooner we can see each other in person."

"I promise, Claire. I'll do anything if it means being able to stand by your side again."

"Good. Same here."

The man in the suit steps in front of the camera. "I'm sorry to cut this short but there are things he and I need to discus. I'll turn the video feed back on once we're done."

I nod. "I understand. I'll talk to you soon Steve."

"I love you, Claire," he blurts out.

I kiss my fingertips wanting so badly for them to be his lips. For a moment I find myself back in that facility when our lips pressed tenderly together.

"I love you too."

The man closes the laptop and I am left looking at a black screen. My stomach sinks once again. I feel like someone has just ripped all the comfort from my body. But I have to remain strong. I have to hold out just a little while longer.

(April 5th, 2000)

Only one more week and I will finally be able to leave this room that I have come to know as my prison. Even though I know that is an over exaggeration I still can't get myself not to think of it as such. It is just so small. One bedroom, one bathroom, no one comes in, no one goes out. My food is passed to me through a small opening in the door that is sealed on both sides to ensure not even air can escape its confinement.

I need to get outside into the fresh air. I want to see the sun, the moon, the stars and I want Steve to be right there beside me. Will that ever be reality? Are they ever actually going to let him out of his room? They are trying at least.

Through our video conversations Steve has told me that the doctors have discovered he is no longer contagious. The virus mutated to the point where his body is able to heal itself quite rapidly but other than that it has no effect on the body. He is a carrier however meaning that if he were to pass on his genes to his children then they would be born with all the mutative abilities as well as being able to infect those around them. Their solution was to perform a vasectomy immediately along with radiation treatment for good measure. Upon first hearing about this, it made me quite sad. Steve would never know what it means to have a family of his own. With his mother and father gone I am sure it has to be something that has crossed his mind from time to time. Mine too actually. But then again, my life is way too intense to think that I will actually ever settle down with someone and have a normal life. Not so long as there are things out there endangering the lives of innocent people.

These thoughts have motivated me to return to my training. I was taking it easy at first because of my injured shoulder but now it is time to get back to work. Day in and day out I have been pushing myself to become stronger. Even more so than before. Push ups, pull ups, crunches, jumping jacks. Anything I can to build up not only my muscles but also my stamina.

Steve has even caught me in the middle of my routine a few times. Now out of the medical bay and in a quarantine room himself, he has cleaned himself up, and decided to join me. I have to admit that ever since, I have become more distracted. As we watch each other through the laptop screens he stands before me wearing nothing more than a baggy, white, pair of sweatpants leaving his entire chest exposed. As I watch him performing his workouts, I become lost in the ripples of his abs, his pecks, and biceps. I'm envious. Men are able to build them up so much faster and so much bulkier. My famine instincts kick in and an overwhelming tingling builds up between my legs. I try to bare it, but suddenly I can't any longer and I fall to the floor exhausted.

"Claire? Claire are you alright?" I can hear panic in Steve's voice as he calls out to me through the laptop speakers.

I take in a few deep breaths then set my head against my knees. "Yeah. I'm fine. I just got a bit dizzy there for a moment."

"Have you been pushing yourself to hard? Do you need to take a rest?"

I stand up from the floor and swoop the laptop up into my hands. I plop down on my bed and set the laptop down on my legs. I can feel my chest becoming heavy. It hurts just to breathe. I can see concern spread over Steve's face.

"What's the matter?" He asks me.

"You know what."

He sighs, "Yeah. I do." He hangs his head for a moment before looking back up into the camera. "But it wont be much longer now. I am sure once you're out of that room you'll start to feel much better."

"Sure, but even then I will have to wait at least three more weeks before we can be together. I don't know how I am going to stand being able to wait that long."

He sets himself down on his bed. "You'll find something to pass the time. I know you will. You're Claire Redfield. You can take on any task. I'm sure there are many people out in the world even now who can use your help."

"I know what you're saying is right but at the same time I don't want to think about all that. Even if I tried my mind won't let me concentrate on anyone but you." A tear escapes my eye but I do not wipe it away. "All that time... I thought you were dead. That night back in Antarctica, I couldn't save you. I just left you behind only for Wesker to-"

He hushes me, "Claire, it's okay. It wasn't your fault."

I raise my voice frustrated, "I know that but it doesn't make things any easier. Wesker is still out there doing god knows what and twice I had him right in front of me and yet I could do nothing." I rub my fingers to my forehead feeling pressure building up on my brow. "I wanted to bring you justice and I failed."

"I could never see you as a failure. You never gave up on me and you saved me from his clutches. He may not yet be shown justice but he has been shown dedication. I'm sure that puts him on edge every day just knowing you are still here. You, your brother, and anyone else who is willing to keep on fighting for as long as it takes. I admire you for that. It's actually one of the reasons I fell in love with you in the first place. Never forget that."

I nod my head moved by his words. "Okay. Thanks, Steve."


	3. Chapter 3

(April 12th, 2000)

The day has finally come where I am set to leave the quarantine. For the last time I take a shower and get myself dressed in the same boring, white, clothes. The medical team arrives to escort me out of the room and back to the medical bay where they take samples of my DNA to test them in order to make their final conclusions. A few hours pass and upon the doctor's return I am told that everything checks out. I did not contract the virus.

"Can I see him now?" I ask the B.S.A.A team.

They seem reluctant at first but finally answer, "Of course."

I am escorted back to the quarantine area and brought into a special containment room. Unlike my room, Steve's walls are made entirely of glass. I suppose that makes it so he has no places he can curl up and hide while he is inside.

At first he seems to be no where. My heart skips a beat when I notice a small patch of red moving on the opposite side of his bed. He is doing push ups with some impressive stamina. The doctor steps up to the intercom near the room's entrance and presses the button to speak to him.

"Mr. Burnside, you have a visitor."

He quickly stands up from the floor and looks to me with a wide smile. "Claire?"

I step up to the glass. "Hello Steve."

He hurries over to meet me. His breath is heavy and I can see sweat glistening off his face and chest. I place my hand over the glass and he mimics my movement by placing his hand over mine. Oh how I wish I could feel it.

"I'll just give you two some time alone," the doctor informs as he steps out of the room.

Steve and I don't take our gaze off each other for even a moment. His big, blue, eyes look down at me. They are even more beautiful than I remembered. His hair is no longer down to his shoulders. Instead it now rests up near his ears. Just a bit shorter than those days back on the island.

"I see you got a hair cut," I state not sure what else to say.

He runs his fingers through his hair and it falls right back in place. "Yeah. I couldn't stand it being long like it was. I'm use to it being short."

"I like it. It makes you look like a military man."

"Kind of like your brother?" I look to him a bit put off. "I'm sorry. That came out weird. I just meant you seem to care for men who present themselves as fighters."

"Well, you're not wrong." My eyes glace up and down at him. "I gotta say, you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself considering it was only a few weeks ago that you had hardly any muscle mass at all."

He scratches at his neck. I can tell I just embarrassed him. "Yeah well, I'd feel worthless if I didn't do everything I could to keep myself strong. If you and I plan to work together in the future, I don't want to hold you back. So how are you doing? You look well."

I can feel myself becoming hot again. Every word that slips from his lips tortures me that much more knowing I can't press my mouth against his. I ball up my fist and strike it against the glass, wishing with all my might that it would shatter.

"I'm not. I need you."

My body trembles with anticipation. He is so close and yet I still can't be with him. I place my forehead against the glass. It is cold which feels nice against my swollen temple, but I want it to be warm. I want it to be him. I press my chest against the glass still hoping that by some miracle I'll be able to feel him. Even just a little.

"Claire," he calls out to me.

I lift my eyes to find him staring at my chest. He has moved his hands down to my cleavage and grips at the glass as if he is trying to rip it away. He wants me like I want him. I can't wait any longer.

I step over to the keypad that controls the lock to his room. I start entering in every security code I have stored in my memory from previous visits to the base. The B.S.A.A doesn't know it, but I have been watching and listening every time they have used a code to unlock anything.

"Claire, what are you doing?" Steve asks concerned.

"You know what! I need to be with you! To hold you in my arms! I'm sick of waiting!" I continue to punch away at the keypad getting denied access again and again.

"You can't do this! If you open this door you'll become a risk all over again! I can't let you do that!"

"I don't care about the risks! I've waited long enough."

The doctor returns to find me frantically trying to open the door. "Get away from there!" He shouts.

Suddenly I hear the lock grant me access and release. I step inside the decontamination chamber and slam the door closed behind me. Steve presses himself against the glass in front of me. I can see so much concern written on his face.

"Please don't do this. If something were to happen to you, especially due to something I caused, I could never forgive myself."

"Listen to him Mrs. Redfield. If you step into that room we will have no choice but to place you back into quarantine," warns the doctor.

"I don't care," I tell him. I turn back to Steve. "I love you."

"I love you too." A tear slips down his cheek. "So much. Please... don't."

I lift my hand up to the inner door's release leaver. It is all that stands between Steve and I finally being together again. Am I being selfish? Will this really put us both in harms way? We don't know what might happen if he is exposed to another human being. Maybe the virus is only dormant because it has not been exposed to something it can infect. Maybe once I step through this door, it will wake up and he might even try to kill me again. No, that can't be. The doctors would have found something if that were the case. My fingers grasp the lever so hard that my fingers are beginning to swell. Just one swift motion of my arm and the lever will come free. It has been over two years. Two long, painful, tragic years. I have fought too hard and too long to give up now. I force the lever down and the seal of the inner door gives way.

I look over to Steve who is just staring at me in shock that I have actually gone against his pleads. I turn to the doctor who also seems surprised by my actions.

"There is no turning back now. The counsel will have to reassess this situation. Until then, we can't let you back out."

"I understand and I'm sorry for any inconvenience this has caused."

I push the door open wide and step through. Steve rushes over to greet me and wraps his arms around me. For the first time in my life I understand how it feels to embrace a partner. This is not just a hug, it is the connection of two lovers who are desperate to become one. His arms are strong, his body is warm. It is exactly what I have been craving all this time. I breath him in and smell the saltiness of his tears and sweat that have soaked his skin.

"Why Claire? This was such a stupid idea. You shouldn't have done this." He says all of this while holding me as tight against his chest as possible. I can feel him shivering with anxiety, the same as me.

I don't have the answer to his question. Instead I places my hands over his cheeks and guide his lips to mine. They lock vigorously. Within seconds my body heat rises to a temperature like I have never felt before. It is hot but more internally then externally. I can feel a rush of desire filling the area between my thighs as our tongues caress and dance. He is so soft. A moan escapes my throat without my intention which in turn causes him to let one out as well. He lifts my legs up into his arms and wraps them around his waist while resting my back against the wall. I feel his erect cock press against my pelvis and it sends my head spinning out of control.

"This is ill-advised!" The doctor hollers at us through the intercom but we pay no mind to his warming. He leaves the room in a huff.

Steve thrusts against me a second time and again I can't keep myself from moaning out loud.

"This is what you want isn't it, Claire?" He asks me.

"More than anything," I confirm.

He gives me a smile then kisses down my jaw to my neck. The hairs on my skin stand on end as he licks and sucks just under my ear. The shaft of his cock massages my clitoris. Even through both layers of our pants I find it to be extremely pleasurable. Just having his body pressed against mine is causing my mind to go wild. I want to experience every last inch of him. His skin, his muscles, even his hair. I bury my face against his head and smell the shampoo he recently washed with. It has a hint of salt from his sweat along with his pheromones mixed in.

Before I even realize what is happening, my body becomes tense and I feel my climax rising. For a moment I want to ask him to stop since we've barley gotten anywhere but at the same time I don't want the feeling to fade without a payoff. I grip his shoulders tightly. In my right hand I can feel his patch of scaled skin caress my palm but it no longer grouses me out. It is a part of him and a reminder of the struggles we faced to get to this point.

"You're making me cum," I whisper to him embarrassed.

He places his forehead against mine. "Wow, is the appetizer that good?" He teases.

I bite my bottom lip and let out a confirming moan. I can't hold back any longer. The heat from my slit spreads to my thighs and I rest my head back against the wall to allow myself to climax. Steve continues to kiss at my neck. He grips his fingers around my butt-cheeks to hold himself against me. My body squirms feeling his shaft pulse against my clit. I hold my breath for a moment then let it out slowly. Soon it is over leaving me wanting more. He presses his mouth into mine and I run my fingers up into his hairline.

"I'm sorry that happened so fast. It's just I've wanted this for so long."

"You have nothing to apologize for. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You have so much passion, Claire. You deserve someone who can give you even more of that passion back."

"That someone meaning you?"

"I'm gonna try, but I can't make any promises."

"You'll do fine. I believe in you. I believe in us."

"Yeah well, one step at a time right?"

"Right."

He gives me another deep kiss then pulls me from the wall. He carries me over to the bed and sets me down gently. He then takes a seat next to me and intertwines his fingers with mine. We're both silent for the longest moment just looking into one another's eyes. I place my thumb over the scaly part of his check and play with the fine hairs that have poked through. He turns his attention away from me.

"I know. It's revolting isn't it?" He asks ashamed.

"No. Not at all. More than anything it reminds me of how you saved me that day. Alexia was going to try to kill me by any means necessary, but you fought back. That took an incredible amount of courage and strength."

"And love," he adds as he turns back to me. "Claire, I've loved you since the first time I saw you. I've been wanting to tell you that but I guess I found it too cheesy to say out loud. But it's the truth."

"You mean right after you almost shot me with that machine gun?" I tease.

He chuckles, "Exactly. Again, I'm sorry about that."

"Apology accepted."

I lean in and give him a tender kiss. He wraps his arms around me and holds me against his chest. I can hear his heart beating steadily. It soothes me. He runs his fingers along my ponytail reminding me of how I will need to get a trim once all of this is over.

"Hey, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think will happen between us? I mean once we get out of here. I can't exactly picture a house with a white picked fence and a two car garage. So then what?"

"None of that matters to me. The only thing I care about is being by your side. Wither it be taking down the bad guys, or just enjoying a quite day at the beach. I'll always be there to watch over you. To protect you. I promise."

"Good. Because I want the same thing."

We lock lips yet again and I feel myself become even hotter than before. I run my fingers up his chest and grasp at the muscles of his shoulders and arms. I am surprised how bold he is as his hands slide up under my tank top and cup my breasts into his palms. For him to have such manly hands, he is actually quite delicate with them. Wanting him to stimulate me further, I lift my chest towards his face. He lifts up my shirt just enough so that he can begin sucking on my nipple. The sensation is incredible. His lips nibble at my areola while his tongue circles around the tip.

"Oh yeah! That feels so good!"

Suddenly he pulls away from me leaving my breast wet and a bit cold. He looks around the room then up at the ceiling.

"Why did you stop?" My voice comes out as more of a whine than I mean it to. My body craves his touch so much that without him against me for even a moment causes my heart to sink into my stomach.

"I'm sorry, but don't you think we're a little exposed here? I mean, you know they're watching us on the cameras right? There is no way they would turn a blind eye to this."

"You're right, but I don't mind. It's kind of exciting isn't it? Very taboo."

"Wow. You're something else, Claire."

"I guess we can stop... if you want."

I pray that this isn't the end of our fondling. I place my hand over his cock that is still fully erect and pulsing hard. He makes a painful face as if he could erupt any second. His cheeks become bright pink making him even more desirable.

"No. I don't want to stop. But I don't want them to watch either."

"So what do you propose we do?"

He looks around the room again. "We'll build a fort!"

"A fort?"

"Yeah. Like I use to do when I was a kid. You never built furniture forts before?"

"No," I laugh finding him cute.

He stands up from the bed. "Well then come on. I'll show you."


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few minutes we push and stack the furniture into a small rectangle in the center of the room. Even using the bed as one of the four walls. Steve lays the bed's blanket onto the floor in the center as well as a few pillows. He then drapes the sheet over the top and leads me inside. It isn't much, but it is private. We sit down next to each other and admire our work. There is just enough light shining through the sheet so that we can still see each other clearly but the mood is different. Calmer.

"You see. This is much better don't you think?" He asks proudly.

"It certainly does the trick."

I slip my fingers into the waistband of his pants and gently begin to tug them lose. Steve takes me by the hands to stop me. I look at him confused. Does he not want to anymore?

"I feel like I need to tell you something," he confesses.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No. It's not that. I just... I want you to know that I've never done any of this before. I'm just sort of winging it, you know? So I apologize in advance if I screw something up."

"It's alright. I've never done this either."

His eyes light up. "Really? But you're so beautiful. I would have thought there was someone in your life, before me that is."

I shake my head. "No. I've never been the relationship type. Too much responsibility I guess. Also, I've always felt like I have to live up to the expectations of my brother. He wouldn't want his one and only sister to just end up with anyone so I've always spent my time thinking about others to really take any time for myself. And before I met you I was okay with that. But now..."

He places his hand on my cheek. "Hey. I get it. Life isn't easy. You can't always plan these things out. You never know what might come your way."

I nod in agreement. "Yeah."

"But we're here now and I want us to make the most of our time together."

"I do too."

He places his hand over my neck and leans into me. "So then come here."

He pulls me in for a vigorous kiss. The small space immediately becomes stuffy as our body heat rises. I quickly lift my tank top up over my head and allow Steve to place his face against my cleavage. He grasps at my chest as I slide my fingers along his back, down to his waistline. He helps me in removing his pants along with his underwear. I look down to see what is in store. His small patch of matching red hair is well groomed which allows me to make a quick assessment. His length appears average but the girth is a bit thicker than what I have seen from random photos on the internet. He is circumcised which makes the head stand out from his shaft. It is so pink and smooth. I only hope that by touching it I wont cause him discomfort. After all he did just finish recovering from surgery.

"Do you like it?" He asks, breaking me from my obvious stare.

"It looks amazing. Hard to believe that whole thing is suppose to... well you know."

"I'll be as genital as you need me to be. Don't worry. I won't force anything."

"I really appreciate that. I only hope it won't be too uncomfortable for you."

"I'm sure it will be perfect. We'll take things slow, okay?"

"Sure."

I prop myself on my knees and place my fingers into the waistband of my pants to pull them down past my butt. Steve places his hands over mine as I slip them down the length of my thighs. I keep my legs tightly closed still too embarrassed for him to see. Once my pants reach my ankles I allow him to remove them the rest of the way and I continue to sit with my hands in my lap. He glances up and down by body causing me to blush.

"You're so beautiful. Delicate and yet strong at the same time."

"Thank you."

I open my arms to him wanting him to come closer. He takes my invitation and places his hands against my back. Slowly he leans over me causing me to lay on my back. He shifts his knees to be between mine. I allow my legs to fan open and his shaft finds its place against my slit once again only this time it is much warmer and much silkier. This is my first time ever feeling a man's cock against my skin and it happens to be right on my most sensitive spot. It causes me to squirm uncontrollably. I grip tightly to Steve's butt wanting him as close to me as possible.

I moan then whisper softly, "Make love to me, Steve. With everything you've got."

"I will," he replies.

He kisses at my neck as he shifts his hips away from me a bit. His corona slides down my slit and prods its way between my labia to my entrance. My body screams at me to let him plunge his way inside but I am not sure what to expect. Will it hurt? Will I bleed? I try to shake those thoughts from my head. I want him. All of him and I don't want him to hold back. I grip him even tighter pulling him deeper into myself. A wave of pleasure flows through me. He is so soft and yet so stiff. I arch my back and let out a high pitched moan.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"I'm great." I wrap my legs around his. "Don't stop."

"Claire," he moans.

"Yes," I moan back.

He huffs as if he wants to say something but doesn't. Instead he kisses me and thrusts himself that much deeper into me. There in a pinch of pain but it quickly subsides and all that remains is pleasure. I can feel him all the way inside. The head of his cock kissing at my uterus. His shaft spreading my walls for the very first time. His base massaging my clitoris again and again as his entire body shifts on top of me.

"You feel incredible," he moans.

It takes me a moment to find my breath, "So do you."

Just when I think both our climaxes are rising to the point of no return, he takes hold of my hips and rolls me on top of him. Now straddling him, he grips onto my butt to help me balance as I rock my hips over him. The curvature of his cock caresses my sweet spot. Unable to get enough my thrusts become faster and I lose all control over my body. The heat that massages my clitoris rises once again and I feel my body quiver with pleasure. Suddenly Steve sits up to face me and kisses me vigorously. He must be able to tell I am close because I can feel his body language concentrating hard on keeping our rhythm steady. I take the moisture of his tongue into my mouth wanting it just as deep inside me as his cock.

The little space has become very steamy now. Sweat drips from our hair and shoulders, dripping down between our legs, causing our thrusts to make loud clapping sounds. It wont be much longer now. His hands massage up and down my back. His mouth licks and sucks at my neck and breasts. I can even feel his balls bunching up against my taint each time I allow my hips to lower over his length. I find it fascinating how such a simple action can be coveted by so many but at the same time so hard to obtain. I never want it to stop. I wish I could stay in this moment of euphoria forever but I know that is not realistic, so I will just have to find my way back to it as often as I can.

My breath his so heavy I can hardly speak the words, "Steve! I'm gonna cum!"

"I'm ready. Just let yourself go." He speaks while nibbling my ear.

My thighs tighten and my toes curl. This orgasm is not like any I have felt before. It is much more intense and spreads throughout my body quickly. So much force, so much pressure. My vaginal walls quiver and I feel Steve's cock erupt into my uterus. The veins along his shaft pulse against my walls. With one final thrust, I take him all the way inside and we sit still, holding each other for the longest moment. A kind of numbness fills me. All I can feel is release and warmth. We fight to catch our breaths as we try to continue to kiss one another but our bodies have become weak and all we can do is keep our arms wrapped around each other's body. I place my forehead against his still wanting us to be as close as possible. I feel him continue to pulse inside me until his cock becomes limp and slips from my labia. His semen soon follows and if it were not for the fact that I know he has been sterilized the amount would no doubly had knocked me up.

He raises his eyes to me. "I'm sorry," he blurts out. "I should have asked if you wanted me to pull out."

"I would have never asked that of you during out first time. If you were not fixed then I would have insisted on continuing my birth control treatments."

"You wouldn't have even made me wear a condom?"

I shake my head and give him a tender kiss. "I wanted my first time to be perfect and you made it so. I thank you." I lean into him while closing my eyes and allow my tongue to slip between his lips. His taste is so sweet I never want to stop. I moan and my body becomes hot once again.

"Claire?"

"Yes," I reply while still allowing my tongue to dance with his.

"Can you promise me we'll stay like this forever?"

"I don't see anything wrong with that if you don't."

"It's just... I want to make you so happy and I'm not sure yet how I am going to do that but I am going to try my damnist. If you ever want something or want to go anywhere I'll be right beside you so don't hesitate to ask."

I smile and let out a soft giggle. "Right now all I want is for us to continue to hold one another. Not only was this my first time having sex but it will be my first time not sleeping alone as well. I want to know what it is like to fall asleep while wrapped in a lover's embrace."

"Done deal."

He helps me to shift my weight to one side and lay myself down on the thin mattress under us. He quickly wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me in close so that our legs are intertwined. Once again I place my forehead against his and I let out a hard sigh feeling like my chest is going to explode if I don't. This is the first time in my life that I'm not worried about the rest of the world. Not even my brother. All I care about is the man in front of me and finding it a miracle we are even able to share this time together.

"I love you, Steve. I've never been able to say that to you properly so I want to tell you it now while we're face to face. You mean so much to me and I never want to lose you again."

He takes me by the hands and squeezes them tightly.

"And you never will. I promise I'll never leave you alone ever again."

He pulls me to his chest and I try to focus on his heartbeat instead of all the nights I have cried myself to sleep. He kisses at my forehead and plays with my hair and before I know it I find myself slipping away while embraced in a ball of comfort.

Falling asleep naked may not have been the smartest idea. Even though our little hut was hot before, now that it must be late into the night it has become very cold. Still in half a daze I roll onto my back and rub my eyes to better asses the room. The automatic lights have gone dim casting a blue light through the blanket above us. Suddenly I realize that it is way too cold for us to still be inside but I can see through the small slits of the blanket that we haven't moved from our spot on the floor. So what the hell?

I turn towards Steve who has rolled over onto his side facing away from me. The blue light causes his skin to look pale and the sight of it brings me back to that day at the Umbrella lab. I place my hand on his shoulder and immediately I can tell that his temperature is way too cold for him to be okay. Is he doing this? Maybe this is some unforeseen after effect of the virus. I shake him to try and wake him up.

"Steve?" His body doesn't respond at all. "Steve, I need you to wake up."

I pull at him to get him to roll onto his back and become frightened by his two black eyes locked on me. They are the eyes of a corpse. The kind of eyes I always saw in those horrid zombies back in Raccoon City.

"Steve!" I scream at the stop of my lungs unable to comprehend what I am seeing. He was fine just a few hours ago. How could this have happened?

Before I have a chance to think it through I see something emerge from between his lips. It is a dragonfly. Soon after the first another emerges, then another, and another until there is a whole swarm covering his face. Even as they crawl onto his eyes he does not blink.

Suddenly I feel something tickling at my stomach. Reluctantly I turn my attention towards what feels to be a thousand tiny hairs poking my tender skin. They are there as well. Hundreds, possibly thousands of dragonflies all nesting upon my belly. Their wings buzzing as if to warn me of something even more sinister to come.

A bump begins to form over my belly. Something inside me shifts then kicks at my uterine wall. No! This is impossible! Even if Steve was able to impregnate me it hasn't been long enough for a baby to grow to this point. As my belly continues to grow bigger the dragonflies immediately swarm the new surface area as if they are trying to protect the living being inside. I panic and wave my hand over them which does cause them to scatter but they immediately return to their positions just as before. The being inside kicks me again but even harder than the first time causing me to writhe in pain.

"Somebody help me!" I shout hoping that the doctors can hear me over the intercom. "Help me!" I shout again but I get no response.

With my hands wrapped over my stomach I do my best to free myself from the strain the creature is taking on my body. That is when I feel something creep its way down my vaginal wall and emerge from between my legs. Still not wanting to look but too terrified to turn my eyes away I see a long, green, tentacle slither up from my crotch and wrap itself around my wrist. Soon another appears and takes hold of my other wrist. They force me onto my back and use their incredibly large girth to pin me down. I feel the being kick again and my walls become forced open wider and wider as more tentacles sprout from inside me. I try to scream but they fill my mouth and throat silencing me. I shut my eyes and prepare to suffer my end.

I sit straight up from the mattress with my heart pounding and my body coated in sweat. I am back in the furniture fort with the yellow glow surrounding me. I take in heavy breaths as I still try to piece together what just happened. Steve sits up from the bed next to me and sets his hand upon my shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey. Are you okay?" He asks concerned.

"Yeah," I answer out of breath. "I'm fine. Just a bad dream."

I place my hands on my stomach still unable to get the kicking feeling to leave my body.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. No it was stupid. Just a lot of stuff bubbling to the surface I guess."

He massages my shoulders which helps me to relax a bit.

"That doesn't surprise me. You've been through so much. I think I would be more concerned if you didn't have nightmares."

"I think... I think I just need to take a shower and I'm sure I'll feel better."

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

"You want to join me?"

He looks to me shocked for a second. "Of course I'll join you. It would be my pleasure."

He stands up causing the blanket of the fort to fall from the furniture. He takes it into his hands and wraps it around my shoulders. He then lifts me into his arms and starts to carry me towards the bathroom. I caress his cheek and give him a passionate kiss impressed by how strong he has become. I never would have guessed that this once fiery haired boy would turn into the love of my life.

END


End file.
